DRINKING WATER
From Utility To Ally: Smart Water Management For Customer Satisfaction
Smart water technologies improve customer satisfaction through accurate billing, leak detection, and data-driven insights, helping utilities build trust, reduce losses, and enhance operational efficiency.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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![swan]( "Monitoring Chlorine Residuals For RO Membranes - ORP Versus Chlorine Analyzers")
Monitoring Chlorine Residuals For RO Membranes - ORP Versus Chlorine AnalyzersIn processes where disinfection is required chlorine is the most common and economic disinfectant followed by sodium hypochlorite (liquid bleach). It is important to disinfect the RO feedwater to avoid fouling of the membranes which results in poor performance and frequent cleaning.
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![ultrasonic-meters]( "Metering-as-a-Service – A Revolutionary Approach To Advance The Water Industry")
Metering-as-a-Service – A Revolutionary Approach To Advance The Water IndustryMetering-as-a-service (MaaS) provides a means for utilities to transition to, or upgrade existing, advanced metering infrastructure with no up-front cost and immediate ROI.
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![Distillery_iStock-635929140]( "Distillery Wastewater Byproducts Fuel Sustainability")
Distillery Wastewater Byproducts Fuel SustainabilityFor distilleries, high levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrogen, total dissolved solids (TDS), and total suspended solids (TSS) put extra pressure on optimal biological treatment requirements. Here are some techniques that can help distillers put a little extra money in the bank while meeting the challenges of environmental discharge requirements.
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![87356163_450_300]( "Chlorate DBPs: Future-Proofing Water Disinfection For Chlorate Regulation")
Chlorate DBPs: Future-Proofing Water Disinfection For Chlorate RegulationChlorate is a highly oxidized form of chlorine that can be introduced to a water source as an industrial or agricultural contaminant or into a finished water as a disinfection byproduct (DBP). As a DBP, chlorate can result from water disinfection with bulk sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, or hypochlorite formed through electrochlorination (EC) systems.
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![iStock-689065726]( "Capitalizing On Evolving PFAS-Removal Options")
Capitalizing On Evolving PFAS-Removal OptionsGranular activated carbon (GAC) and ion exchange (IX) resin have long histories in removing a variety of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as ‘forever chemicals.’ Here are some performance considerations of evolving options that can pay dividends for first-time and experienced PFAS removal operators alike.
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![GettyImages-2207623248_450_300]( "Success Is The Break That Never Happened: How Embedded Acoustic Intelligence In Ultrasonic Meters Prevents Failure")
Success Is The Break That Never Happened: How Embedded Acoustic Intelligence In Ultrasonic Meters Prevents FailureEmbedded acoustic sensing in ultrasonic meters enables continuous leak monitoring, helping utilities detect problems earlier, reduce water loss, and shift from reactive repairs to proactive infrastructure management.
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![GettyImages-182818722_450_300]( "Why A Temporary Water Treatment System Might Be Your Best Investment")
Why A Temporary Water Treatment System Might Be Your Best InvestmentIt is critical to understand the limitations of permanent installations and how a temporary water treatment system can make sound logistical and financial sense.
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![PalmCoastCaseStudy]( "Color Reduction From RO Concentrate")
Color Reduction From RO ConcentrateThe City of Palm Coast, FL was experiencing elevated color in the concentrate stream being directed to the lime softening facility to recover as drinking water. In an effort to meet secondary color standards at the lime plant, this water quality issue limited the volume of the concentrate able to be recovered.
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![Cost Effective_thumbnail]( "Simple Treatment Solution For Surface Water Source")
Simple Treatment Solution For Surface Water SourceDiscover how Harmsco's Municipal Cartridge Filtration Systems saved a Montana Water District over $1 million.
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![Nature-Tranquility-iStock-1175009759]( "Achieving Better Balance In The Water-Energy-Climate Nexus")
Achieving Better Balance In The Water-Energy-Climate NexusTrying to balance urban population growth against water scarcity, energy consumption, and greenhouse gases (GHGs) can feel like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Fortunately, a recent report quantifying that delicate balance offers new perspective on solutions for water professionals.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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The Basics: ORP and Free Chlorine Monitoring5/13/2014
Oxidation Reduction Potential or Redox is the activity or strength of oxidizers and reducers in relation to their concentration. Oxidizers accept electrons, reducers lose electrons. Examples of oxidizers are: chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, bromine, ozone, and chlorine dioxide. Examples of reducers are sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfate and hydrogen sulfide. Like acidity and alkalinity, the increase of one is at the expense of the other.
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Activated Carbon And Adsorption Of Trichloroethylene (TCE) And Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)12/30/2013
Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are two of the most common solvents that contaminate groundwater supplies in the United States. Both solvents see frequent use in the extraction of fat, in the textile industry, in the production of various pharmaceutical and chemical products. TCE is also used as a degreaser from fabricated metal parts, and PCE serves as a component of aerosol dry-cleaning solvents.
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VFD Energy Savings For Pumping Applications4/6/2017
In the early days of variable frequency drive (VFD) technology, the typical application was in process control for manufacturing synthetic fiber, steel bars, and aluminum foil.
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Complete Flow Solutions11/11/2024
Siemens’ extensive portfolio includes various flow measurement technologies, such as Coriolis, clamp-on ultrasonic, vortex, and differential pressure meters, catering to a wide range of industrial needs.
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Dosing Of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution For Drinking Water Disinfection9/22/2022
A water purveyor was in urgent need of a chemically resistant flow instrumentation with a long life of service that allowed reliable and long-term stable dosing of the sodium hypochlorite solution.
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Application Note: YSI Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring And The IPSWATCH-EMPACT Program12/28/2005The Ipswich and Parker Rivers watersheds lie only a short distance north of Boston, MA. The first settlements in these watersheds began in the early 1600s. Since that time, residents have relied heavily on the natural resources of the Parker and Ipswich Rivers, their coastal estuaries and Plum Island Sound, which is known as the Great Marsh. This ecosystem has been designated and protected by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).
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Ultrasonic Level Measurement In Water And Wastewater Plants5/19/2016
Radar technology is often viewed as the “best” method of level measurement, but this isn’t necessarily true in the water industry.
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Application Note: YSI Water Quality Monitoring Buoys Help Connecticut DOT Protect The Housatonic River12/27/2005When replacement of the Sikorski Bridge spanning the Housatonic River was authorized, Paul Corrente and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CT-DOT) set about the design and development of a water quality monitoring program to monitor the contractor’s in-water activities to insure full protection of the river from perturbation
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Application Note: Using Real-Time Telemetry For Ecological Monitoring Of Coastal Wetlands2/3/2011The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR)in Mississippi is one of 27 protected estuarine reserves across the United States. By YSI
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Automatic Rinse Tank Controls10/29/2021
Proper rinsing is one of the most important steps in quality manufacturing or metal finishing. Plenty of low cost, good quality water for rinsing has been available in the past, so rinse water conservation has been largely ignored.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
The WATERFLUX 3050 is an electromagnetic flowmeter (EMF) for basic water applications. It offers cost-effective flow measurement in applications where extremely high accuracy, extensive diagnostics or a wide range of digital communication options are not a priority. Its measuring tube with a rectangular and reduced cross-section enables a stable measurement even at low flow rates. Due to the optimized flow profile, the meter is practically independent of interferences from the installation environment. It can be installed virtually anywhere without straight inlet or outlet runs – behind pipe bends, slide valves or a reduction in the pipe.
This filter is designed to provide economical treatment of smaller flows with the added advantage of retrofitting existing traveling bridge sand filters.
Capital Controls Series WM4000 gas feeders are wall cabinet mounted vacuum operated and designed to conveniently house a combination of gas feed equipment. The fibreglass cabinets enclose the gas flow control components.
The PTBT1 is a lab-accurate water quality pocket tester that allows you to use your mobile device and the X2 app to measure, store and export data.
Smart leak detection with SIWA Leak Finder makes the most of your existing investment in sensors and hydraulic models to take you to the next level of non-revenue water reduction in your drinking water transmission and distribution network. The cloud-based application analyzes your real-time flow data using cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and hydraulic modeling to identify leaks and anomalies. With SIWA Leak Finder you can detect leaks more quickly and accurately so your maintenance teams spend more time in the right location on points of interest that really matter.
Every drop costs you money The estimated cost associated with produced water treatment in the United States is approximately $18B. The cost of cleaning produced water is 300 times greater than municipal waste water and 3,000 times greater than irrigation water.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![Water droplets, PFAS, Forever chemical water contamination-GettyImages-2173433890]( "Designing Resilient PFAS Treatment Strategies For Water Agencies")
Water agencies across the U.S. are facing a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that poses a conundrum: Should they take a cautious or aggressive approach to treating PFAS contamination in their water system?
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![Oil spill clean up-GettyImages-1369921282]( "The Future Of In Situ Chemical Oxidation For Targeted Solvent Destruction")
The U.S. EPA’s 2026 trichloroethylene (TCE) compliance deadlines are now forcing a concrete shift toward source-zone destruction. In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO), sequenced with enhanced bioremediation, is proving to be the most credible path to groundwater contaminant rebound mitigation.
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![money, dollars down the drain-GettyImages-157193934]( "Critical Infrastructure Fails The Way It's Funded")
Our infrastructure systems have operated in managed deterioration for decades. And not surprisingly, once they deteriorate badly enough and cross over into active failure, all cost discipline disappears. -
![Smart industry, worker safety technology-GettyImages-2218674119]( "Geotechnical IoT Shifts Water Infrastructure From Reactive To Predictive")
Currently, water infrastructure is outdated and fragile, prone to breakages and leaks. Reactive approaches to water infrastructure are only implemented after an incident and are more expensive than simple maintenance fixes. Geotechnical Internet of Things (IoT) devices enable water and wastewater industry professionals to identify and address issues before they escalate into catastrophic events. -
![Water Drop with brain-GettyImages-481129858]( "When Drinking Water Raises Bigger Questions About Brain Health And Environmental Risk")
A new study linking certain groundwater sources to higher Parkinson’s risk underscores a broader question for the water sector: how environmental exposures in drinking water may influence long-term health. -
![Water Treatment system for boiler station-GettyImages-914817776]( "Filtration Media For Municipal, Industrial, And Landscape Water Treatment: Legacy And Novel Technologies")
The growing demand for water across a variety of sectors combined with the increasingly understood complexity of emerging contaminants is creating a dynamic marketplace for filtration media. The goal of selecting the right filtration media is not to meet minimum standards but to achieve the right balance of performance, durability, and operational simplicity to ensure long-term compliance and cost-effective operation.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
Appearing on The Weather Channel's "Wake Up With Al" morning show, water expert Dan Theobald puts drinking water to the test by measuring total dissolved solids (TDS) in tap water samples from Brooklyn, Manhattan, and New Jersey, as well as bottled water samples.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.